A review of the recent literature of polyols (frequently called “sugar alcohols”) demonstrates that they are increasingly popular substitutes for sucrose. The substitution of all, or a portion, of the sucrose in a foodstuff with one or more polyols has a number of advantages that are well-appreciated. Of particular interest to the health- and fitness-conscious public, foodstuffs sweetened with polyols (e.g., xylitol, sorbitol, lactitol, or erythritol) have fewer calories than their sucrose-containing counterparts. In addition, the lower glycemic index of polyols, as compared to sugars such as sucrose and glucose, has led to the widespread use of polyols as sweeteners in diabetic foods, or for weight loss, or weight control. Furthermore, the well-established dental benefits of using polyols, such as xylitol, in place of sweeteners, such as sucrose (e.g., dramatic reductions in new tooth decay, arrest and, in some instances, reversal of existing dental decay) makes polyols desirable for use as sweeteners in a wide variety of foodstuffs. The advantages of substituting all, or a portion, of the sucrose in a foodstuff with a polyol, specifically xylitol, is described at length in the essay “Xylitol, Sweeten Your Smile” by John Peldyak, DMD. Additionally, evidence suggests that the consumption of xylitol, and foodstuffs sweetened with xylitol, may be effective means for preventing and treating chronic ear infections (otitis media) in children (e.g., “A Sugarless Gum May Help to Prevent Ear Infections in Kids,” by Tara Parker-Pope, in The Wall Street Journal, Health Journal, Jun. 30, 2000).
Polyols in foodstuffs, such as baked goods, are more resistant to mold and bacterial growth, since they do not absorb moisture as sucrose does.
A review of the recent literature of polyols, however, also demonstrates that, despite their many advantages, there is a serious problem in the use of polyols in compositions that are ingested. The serious problem is that the ingestion of polyols in certain amounts may result in unpleasant side effects which include acute, non-infectious, non-inflammatory diarrhea, and symptoms associated with acute diarrhea.
The various polyols have varying degrees of sweetness. As compared to sucrose, all the polyols, except xylitol, have a sweetness relatively less than sucrose.
TABLE 1Relative SweetnessSucrose100% Xylitol100% Maltitol90%Erythritol70%Mannitol60%Sorbitol60%Isomalt50%Thus, apart from xylitol, more polyol is needed for sweetness than sucrose.